OPPO launched one of its most affordable 2020 smartphones in the Indian market: the OPPO A52. If you are wondering whether its value for money enough to make it the best option on its price segment or not, you are in the right place. Here, we are comparing its specifications with the ones of the best-selling Realme Narzo 10, and the newly-announced Redmi 9 which are definitely among the most interesting devices of 2020 in India, if we consider the same price range. Let’s discover together which device is worth buying depending on the users’ needs.
OPPO A52 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9 vs Realme Narzo 10
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 | Realme Narzo 10 | OPPO A52 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 163.3 x 77 x 9.1 mm, 198 grams | 164.4 x 75.4 x 9 mm, 199 grams | 162 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm, 192 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.53 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 395 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.5 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 405 ppi, LTPS IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Mediatek Helio G80, octa-core 2 GHz | Mediatek Helio G80, octa-core 2.0 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, octa-core 2 GHz |
| MEMORY | 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 10, MIUI | Android 10, Realme UI | Android 10, ColorOS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Quad 13 + 8 + 5 + 2 MP f/2.2, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4 8 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Quad 12 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.7, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 5020 mAh, fast charging 18W | 5000 mAh, fast charging 18W | 5000 mAh, fast charging 18W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot, splash resistant | Hybrid Dual SIM slot |
Design
Despite the presence of a huge camera module on the back, the design of the OPPO A52 is the one that attracts me the most. The reason is simple: it is the only one sporting a punch-hole display: a more modern solution to get rid of display bezels. Realme Narzo 10 and Redmi 9 are classic devices with a waterdrop notch and a polycarbonate body, nothing so special. But Realme Narzo 10 is splash resistant, while OPPO A52 and Redmi 9 do not offer protection against water nor dust.
Display
The weakest point of the Realme Narzo 10 compared to Redmi 9 and OPPO A52 is the display: it comes with a lower HD+ resolution that you can usually find on entry-level phones. OPPO A52 has the most convincing display: an LTPS panel with a Full HD+ resolution and a cut out for a single front camera. But Redmi 9 is still a pretty nice one with its IPS Full HD+ display and a wide 6.53-inch diagonal. Just note that they are average panels and they are far from high-end devices.
Specs & Software
Realme Narzo 10 and Redmi 9 are powered by the Helio G80 midrange chipset, while OPPO A52 sports the octa-core Snapdragon 665. While the Snapdragon 665 is a more efficient SoC, Helio G80 should provide slightly better performances. However, given that OPPO A52 comes with up to 8 GB of RAM, it has better overall performances than Redmi 9 and Realme Narzo 10, at least in its higher-end version. OPPO A52 also comes with a faster UFS 2.1 native storage, while Realme Narzo 10 and Redmi 9 have eMMC storages. With OPPO A52 and Realme Narzo 10 you get similar UIs based on Android 10: ColorOS 7.1 and Realme UI. Redmi 9 runs MIUI 12 out of the box.
Camera
OPPO A52 and Realme Narzo 10 sport more impressive cameras than Redmi 9. On the paper, Realme Narzo 10 looks better when it comes to photos, while OPPO A52 should record better videos; it is the only with the support to 4K video recording. But given that we did not try all of these phones, we still can not give you a definitive verdict about their camera quality.
Battery
OPPO A52 and Realme Narzo 10 are equipped with a 5000 mAh battery, while Redmi 9 has a 5020 mAh unit. The capacity is almost the same, but Realme Narzo 10 is actually able to last more on a single charge in all of the scenarios in which the display is involved since it has a lower resolution. It is also the only one that supports reverse charging.
Price
OPPO A52 is priced under Rs. 20,000 ($263) in India, Redmi 9 starts from $139, and Realme Narzo 10 is priced Rs. 11,999 ($158). Due to its great display, stereo speakers, and pretty nice cameras, OPPO A52 is my favorite device from this comparison, but it costs more. If you need something cheaper, Realme Narzo 10 looks more convincing than Redmi 9.
OPPO A52 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9 vs Realme Narzo 10: PROs and CONS
Realme Narzo 10
PROs
- Longer battery life
- Great cameras
- Splash resistant
- Reverse charging
CONS
- HD display
Xiaomi Redmi 9
PROs
- IR blaster
- FHD+ display
- MIUI 12 out of the box
- Very affordable
CONS
- Inferior cameras
OPPO A52
PROs
- Great Full HD+ display
- Punch-hole design
- 4K video recording
- Stereo speakers
- Up to 8 GB of RAM
CONS
- Price
